CVS Caremark to host live Facebook chats for American Diabetes Month

By Antoinette Alexander

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — As part of its broad support for patients with diabetes, and in recognition of American Diabetes Month, CVS Caremark announced on Thursday that it will be hosting live Facebook chats to answer patients' questions about diabetes and chronic condition management.

Among other topics, the discussions will address how diabetes patients and their families can best manage their disease. CVS pharmacists and MinuteClinic nurse practitioners will offer insights to diabetes patients on filling their prescriptions on time, continuing to take their medications as prescribed and monitoring their conditions regularly.

MinuteClinic will host a live online event with a MinuteClinic nurse practitioner on Nov. 8, from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time that can be accessed through the MinuteClinic Facebook page. CVS/pharmacy will host a live online event with a CVS pharmacist on Nov. 15, from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern time that can be accessed by logging on to the CVS/pharmacy Facebook page.

"As a pharmacy innovator, we have created a number of programs to help the nearly 26 million Americans who have diabetes manage their condition and find new and effective ways to put them on a path to better health," stated Troyen Brennan, chief medical officer of CVS Caremark.

Many patients are drawn to social media to share information and to find support and strategies for living with chronic disease, but recent CVS Caremark research showed great variability in the standards used to ensure sites effectively provide information and answers to important health-related questions. "We are committed to providing high-quality, accurate information through this medium," Brennan added.